Lesson #35 - DANCING CHINESE NEW YEAR DRAGON

Click here for larger template for 
dragon head and tail

Chinese New Year is a time for festivities that are both cultural and colorful. Chinese New Year is celebrated anytime in late January to early February this depends on when the first new moon of the year will be. Chinese New Year begins on a New Moon and ends with the lantern festival on the full moon 15 days later. Dragons are an important part of the New Year Celebration as they represent good luck and the eventual arrival of spring. Celebrate Chinese New Year with your own parade by creating beautiful, colorful dancing dragons. You can also use them as shadow puppets for even more creative fun!

YOU WILL NEED:
Bright colored paper
Glue
Scissors
Glitter (optional)
Crayons, markers or soft pastels (we used pastels because of their color brilliance)
Pencil
Chopsticks, bamboo skewers or straws
Click here for template you can use for dragon head and tail
Books or pictures of Chinese New Year parades/celebrations
Selection of glitter, glitter glue, feathers, yarn Crayons, markers or soft pastels
Pencil
Chopsticks, bamboo skewers or straws
 
PROCEDURE: 

1. Have pictures or a book about Chinese dragons to help you with your design.  Encourage budding artists to enhance their experience by learning something about the subject of their artwork.

2. Cut a rectangle 4” x 18” from bright colored construction paper. Accordion-fold the paper with vertical folds.  This will be the body of your dragon.

3. Use a different colored paper than the body, to trace and cut out the dragon head and tail. Use our template or your own.

4. Use crayons, markers or soft pastels to decorate the head and tail in a festive way. If you use the soft pastels, spray your work after with a fixative spray or aerosol hairspray like Aquanet. Once you have the face and tail done, embellish them with glitter or feathers.

5. Roll the first couple of inches of the chopsticks, skewers or straws around the back of the head and tail. Affix this with glue to have two handles so you can maneuver your puppet. 

6. Glue the head to one end of the accordion folded paper and the tail to the opposite end.  The handles should come out of the bottom of your dragon. Allow the glue to dry before engaging in play. 

You are ready to dance your dragon for the celebration! Another creative use of your artwork is to stand in front of a wall with a light shining on you and your dragon, dance and move him in front of the wall creating shadows. Have your own shadow puppet show. Create an enchanting tale of dragon lore to enhance your show.  

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